Just to brush up on my basic Granny Square skills, I made a quick square with scrap yarn. To get it the right 7×9 inch size for Warm Up America I added two rows of double crochet on one end, and one row on the other. A little unconventional, but functional.
I did another 7×9 inch swatch to test joins for Tunisian crochet using the honey comb stitch pattern. I first crocheted a narrow strip with three different colors, then I crocheted a second strip, joining the rows to the first strip at the end of the forward pass. I tried three methods: joining using the front loop, back loop, and back loop and bump behind the back loop. I like the last method best because there was no discernible gap and the patterns matched up better.
I’m still working on best practice for me for weaving in ends.
I’m renewing my acquaintance with Tunisian crochet. Making the 7×9 inch rectangles for Warm Up America is not only a great way to use up scrap yarn, but also to explore new techniques or to polish up old skills. My Tunisian crochet skills were definitely dusty. I ripped out around two rectangles worth remembering where to start and end my rows and on finding a fabric that doesn’t curl. The simple Tunisian stitch curls almost as badly as stockinette knitting, which I don’t want for my rectangles. I rediscovered my favorite (so far) Tunisian stitch, the honeycomb. This is like a moss stitch in knitting, alternating simple and purl Tunisian stitches both across the row and on the next row. It makes a nice flat fabric with a honeycomb-like pattern on one side and a luscious bumpy texture on the back.
I also discovered a new-to-me kind of crochet hook.
I like the balance of the wood crochet hook with cord and how it feels in my hand much better than the long aluminum hook.
My grandmother had an unfinished afghan when she passed. It looked like she missed a pattern switch and the next step would be to rip out a whole section and she just decided not to and set it aside. I took the partial project and rather than rip out any stitches, turned it into a mixed method project, using different sections of knit and crochet to tie it all together.
I deliberately made the afghan long at my Mom’s request, because most blanket throws can’t be wrapped around our feet and shoulders at the same time (we are taller than average). I couldn’t find the exact same yarn and dye lot, so added in a complementary olive green yarn to make it obtain the extra length.
This was a personal family project, but there is an organization called Loose Ends that helps families with unfinished projects that their loved ones have left behind find skilled craftspeople to complete the projects so the family has a final memento. You can visit the website or follow them on social media. Grab your tissues.
Here is a collection of painted rocks photographed in June 2018 from one of my eye periods.
I think this wraps up the week of “more”. I had a couple blog titles naturally start with the word more, and ran with it awhile. Tomorrow we’ll go back to the regularly scheduled title randomness.
